Betrayal
by Noraque
Summary: It doesn't take an entire locker room to change the course of the WWE universe. Just the act of a single woman.
1. Chapter 1

AJ Lee skipped through the backstage area of the arena. She had a big smile on her face as she pranced from side to side. Neither of these was anything new for anyone who had seen the petite Diva before. But this time, all the other people in the hallway gave her a wide berth.

They did this not out of respect because she was the General Manager of RAW, nor because she was the favourite to win the 2012 Breakout Star of the Year.

They did this because they were afraid of the woman.

AJ couldn't help but giggle to herself at the thought that all these people, including large, muscular wrestlers, could be afraid of a petite woman that barely weighed 100 lbs. Of course, this little giggle that apparently came out of nowhere caused them to draw back even more, their faces filled with uncertainty and even fear.

Then again, they _should _fear her, she thought. Not only could she have their careers ended in the blink of an eye, they had seen what she could do to someone- both mentally and physically.

* * *

**Ten Minutes Earlier...**

_AJ watched from behind the curtain, her eyes narrowed in concentration. She was deaf to the noise of the fans. Their cheers and boos did not penetrate her ears._

_In the ring, Kaitlyn had Eve against a turnbuckle, delivering a series of powerful kicks to the stomach of the Divas champion. The title was on the line and the two-toned challenger from Houston was determined to put the conniving champion down. AJ had to admit her former Chickbuster teammate had been impressive lately. She'd worked her way up to become number one contender for the only women's title in the company. It was just a shame things had turned out the way they had between them; her former best friend had refused to see her point of view. Too bad... things could be so much different._

_AJ watched as Kaitlyn's offense escalated with a series of hard punches to Eve's gorgeous face. The champion from Denver put her arms up in an effort to shield herself. In response, the Texan delivered a hard right punch to the abdomen which doubled Eve over._

_Kaitlyn grabbed Eve by the arm and whipped her out of the corner. Eve reversed in the middle of the ring and went for a clothesline. Kaitlyn ducked under her arm, reached out and grabbed hold of Eve, putting her head underneath her arm so she faced towards the ceiling. The crowd grew louder, immediately sensing what was coming next; the Inverted DDT was coming and Kaitlyn was about to be a mere three count away from winning her first ever championship in WWE. _

_As Kaitlyn went to grab Eve's right wrist, the Divas champion reached out blindly behind her, poking the challenger right in the eye. Kaitlyn immediately let go and stumbled back, her hands automatically going to her face. Eve got up from the mat, stared at her opponent for a moment, and then delivered a hard kick to Kaitlyn's taped left ankle- the same one that had been injured at _Night of Champions_. Kaitlyn let out a cry of pain and dropped to one knee, clutching the injured body part. Eve grabbed hold of Kaitlyn's hair and yanked her up; she tucked the challenger's head under her shoulder and slung her arm over her head as though she was about to go for a vertical suplex. Instead, she delivered a violent spinning neckbreaker- the Heart Breaker, she called it- making the back of Kaitlyn's head slam against the mat._

_The crowd groaned at the sound of the impact; they figured there was no way the fan-favourite from Texas could get up from that. But surprisingly, Eve didn't go for the pin._

_Instead, she stared down at the challenger's form at her feet. A cruel smile spread over her face. She reached down, grabbed hold of Kaitlyn's leg and forcefully rolled her over to her stomach. She then tucked the leg under her arm and fell violently against the mat back first, wrenching the limb hard and eliciting another cry from her opponent. She then wrapped her own legs around Kaitlyn's and twisted her foot to the side in a move that resembled a reverse grapevine ankle lock._

_Eve may be no Kurt Angle, but AJ had to admit the woman knew a weakness when she saw one. Kaitlyn screamed in agony, her face almost contorted in pain. She clawed at the mat, trying desperately to drag herself to the bottom rope and force a break. Eve had her trapped right in the centre of the ring. She wasn't going anywhere._

_Kaitlyn bucked from side-to-side in an attempt to free herself without success. She kicked out in vain with her free leg, trying to land a shot in Eve's face, but couldn't reach far enough. Unable to reach Eve's hands locked around her ankle, the Houston-native grabbed hold of the champion's thighs and tried to force them apart and off her limb, but Eve's positioning made it impossible; she couldn't budge them an inch. In this position, Kaitlyn's powerful lower body strength was absolutely useless, and her escape attempts only made Eve crank up the pressure even more._

_AJ couldn't help but wince slightly; she could literally __**feel**__ the tendons being re-torn in the Texan's ankle. She watched as Kaitlyn pounded her hand on the mat frantically and referee Mike Chioda motioned for the bell._

_**DING, DING, DING!**_

_**Sheeeeee looks good to me!  
She's got everything I want!  
Everything I need!**_

"_The winner of this match as the result of a submission, and STILL WWE Divas Champion, Eve Torres!" Justin Roberts announced._

_The fans booed at the announcement and shouted insults towards the victor, but their gestures fell on deaf ears. In the ring, the Coloradan was ignoring Chioda's orders to release the hold. Instead, she twisted the ankle to an almost impossible angle, making Kaitlyn scream and writhe in pain even more._

_AJ narrowed her eyes at the scene. Eve seemed hell-bent on breaking the former Chickbuster's leg. _

_Well, that wouldn't do at all…_

_Despite the fact she was wearing her full GM business attire, AJ ran- for once she didn't skip- out from behind the curtain down the ramp, her entrance music not accompanying her for the first time in a while. A nice-sized roar of cheers spread across the audience at the sight of the Geek Goddess, running down evidently to help her former teammate._

_The sudden change of boos to cheers from the crowd drew Eve's attention towards the ramp, where she saw AJ running full tilt towards the ring. She immediately released the submission hold on Kaitlyn, grabbed her championship belt from the referee and slid out of the back of the ring just as AJ was sliding in._

_Breathing heavily, eyes locked on the tiny Diva, Eve slowly made her way around the ring and up the ramp. Though she had a size advantage over AJ, there was something about the General Manager that made her uneasy and unwilling to confront her- for now._

_Ignoring the retreating Divas champion, AJ walked over to where Kaitlyn lay and stood over her. The Texan's eyes caught the movement in front of her before the figure took shape and turned into a pair of dress pants. She blinked and followed the pants up until she was staring into the face of her apparent saviour. _

_AJ's face remained expressionless for a few moments. Then she bent down and took hold of Kaitlyn's hand._

_The fans cheered and clapped as the GM gently pulled her former teammate up. Kaitlyn was barely standing upright for a whole second, putting all her weight on her good leg, when AJ suddenly grabbed hold on her in a tight hug, making the fans pop even more. Kaitlyn stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure of how to react. After a few seconds, she slowly lifted her arms and returned the hug._

_The two stood embracing in the middle of the ring for several moments, the fans cheering, whistling and clapping in approval. One guy in a red cap in the front row by the ramp held up a sign that read __**Chickbusters 4 Life**__._

_The two finally loosened their grip, each lightly grasping each other by the shoulders. "Thank you," Kaitlyn said with sincerity._

_AJ looked up at Kaitlyn's face. "You okay?" She asked._

_The two-toned Diva nodded with a smile. "Yeah."_

_A blank expression slowly appeared on the Geek Goddess' face. Eyes half-closed and unfocused, she seemed to look through her former teammate. _

_Her lips parted. "__**Good."**_

_AJ brought up her foot and slammed it right into Kaitlyn's injured ankle._

_The entire arena seemed to enter into a vacuum. One second, the fans were cheering and clapping. The next, there was dead silence. For one second, you could hear a pin drop in the nosebleed section. _

_In that one second, Kaitlyn dropped to the mat like a ton of bricks, letting out a loud cry and grabbing her leg. Everyone watching could almost feel the pain that tore through her limb; her eyes were squeezed shut so tightly there were hints of tears in the corners. _

_The second passed and the crowd came alive again. Except this time there were no cheers. There were shouts and exclamations of shock and disbelief. They quickly turned into a hailstorm of boos._

_AJ didn't hear them. Well, she heard them but not in the way she normally would have. Just a few months ago, the mere thought of the fans directing boos her way would have horrified her. _

_Now, staring down at her former friend, the first reaction from her was a large grin. It spread across her face, twisting the GM's face from that of a cute young woman to a psychotic maniac. _

_Slowly she walked to the other side of the ring and signalled for a microphone. Retrieving it from the somewhat nervous crew member, she ignored the negative reception by the crowd and walked back to the centre. Kaitlyn lay huddled on her side, both hands clutching at her injured limb._

"_Hmmm, now who do we have here, lying on the mat in pain?" AJ said into the mike as she crouched down. "Oh, you know what? I know who this is!" She grinned triumphantly, as though just having won a lifetime supply of free tickets to Comic Con. "It's Kaitlyn, my best friend in the whole wide world!"_

_She reached down underneath Kaitlyn's head and lifted it up so her former friend was looking at her. Aside from the pain, Kaitlyn's eyes filled with shock and confusion. The camera zoomed in for a close shot of it; viewers could practically __**sense **__the two-toned Diva asking in her mind 'Why?'_

_AJ went on undeterred. "And you know, Kaitlyn… since you are my best friend, I'm going to be totally honest with you. When I wished you luck with your match tonight against Eve, I really did mean it. I mean, having a busted leg and all, you needed all the luck you could get. And against the woman you believed busted it too!"_

_She let out a chuckle. "Oh, Kaitlyn… you were so focused on Eve, so convinced she had disguised herself to attack you at Night of Champions…" She gave a devilish grin. "That it never occurred to you that geeks sometimes like to wear wigs too…"_

_AJ's smile widened at the reaction her words caused; at the gasps of shock in the audience; at the audible shouts of shock and disbelief from Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler. But most of all from Kaitlyn; a look of pure shock filled her face at the realization not only that her friend- her __**best**__ friend- had been behind her attack, but that AJ had been inside her personal circle all along afterwards. She'd let her in, the woman who'd stabbed her in the back, and let her share her space all along. That realization gave way to a look of horror and fear at the evident danger she now realized she was in._

"_So now that you know what really happened, I just want to thank you for being such a good friend." AJ grinned, standing back up. "It's such a shame it couldn't last longer." She shrugged. "Oh well. Just to show there are no hard feelings…"_

_She lifted up her foot and brought down hard- right on Kaitlyn's injured angle. There was a sickening CRACK a split second after the contact as the bone snapped in half. Kaitlyn let out an almost inhuman scream of pure agony and grabbed her leg. She rolled from side to side on the map, her face dampening as a flood of tears poured from her eyes._

_AJ dropped the mic onto the mat, watching the spectacle before her eyes. She kept her eyes locked on her former best friend's figure writhing in pain. Referees and security swarmed into the ring around her, with at least half a dozen forming a barrier between the two women. She could vaguely remember a stretcher being brought into the ring and Charles Robinson telling her to back off while they attended to the Texan. _

_AJ smirked as she watched the panic and pandemonium flourish around the ring. EMTs knelt beside Kaitlyn, trying to comfort her and calm her down so they could get her onto the stretcher and stabilize her leg. AJ made the tiniest step towards her former friend and had to hold back a laugh at the alarm in Robinson's eyes as he pleaded with her to stay back. _

_AJ slowly backed away and slid under the bottom rope. As she started backing away up the ramp, more EMTs rushed past her into the ring carrying medical bags. At this point, she finally allowed the atmosphere of the arena to wash over her and allow the boos and jeers from the fans to reach her ears. Looking over towards the front row, she saw little kids looking at her with a scared expression on their faces and young college kids shouting insults at her and giving her obscene gestures. Her gaze turned over towards the fan with the red cap who was now staring daggers at her and booing relentlessly. He had flipped his sign around and held it high over his head. It now read __**AJ IS A PSYCHO**__._

_She looked around the entire arena- an arena that just two minutes earlier had cheered her like she was a hometown hero. That same arena was now tearing her apart verbally. The Geek Goddess had become Public Enemy Number One in a matter of moments._

_AJ laughed, turned around and skipped on her merry way to the back._

* * *

That moment was now replaying itself over and over in her mind as she skipped down the hallway towards her office. Oh, what fun it was to be the boss! She could do what she wanted when she wanted and there was no one who even wanted to approach her to call her on it.

Well, almost no one.

"AJ!" The GM stopped in her tracks as Layla rushed up to her. The British Diva had a look of shock and concern on her face that nearly caused AJ to burst out laughing once again. She managed to restrain herself and say in a reasonably professional tone, "Yes, Layla, something I can help you with?"

"What the bloody hell was that?" Layla demanded.

"What was what?"

"What just happened out there in the ring with Kaitlyn! What else?" Layla exclaimed.

"Oh, right! Yeah, that was pretty disappointing, wasn't it?" AJ said with mock disappointment. "For a second there I thought she was actually going to pull it off. Oh, well. Guess she wasn't champion material after all."

"You know perfectly well what I mean! AJ, that's your best friend!"

"_Was_," AJ corrected without hesitation. "Somehow I don't think we are any more."

Layla stared at the General Manager. "How could you _do_ that to her?"

AJ stared right back. "How?" she repeated. "Simple. I wanted to do something fun. So I did something fun!" She spoke as though it were the simplest thing in the world.

"AJ," Layla said slowly. "I'm really worried about you. I mean, ever since you got involved with Punk there's been something… different about you."

"Different," AJ repeated. "You mean something _wrong_ with me."

"No, no!" Layla said quickly. "I just mean I'm concerned that maybe you've become a little too wrapped up in this whole 'crazy chick' thing. I mean, let's face it… you're not the same woman you were a year ago."

"So that's a problem?" The tone in AJ's voice changed, just a little bit.

"I think maybe you need to tone it down a little bit, that's all."

"What's wrong, Layla?" AJ narrowed her eyes. "You don't like crazy chicks?"

"I… what?"

AJ was suddenly right up in her face. Layla suddenly felt rather uncomfortable as the GM went on in a slow, almost dazed voice. "I thought you had a thing for bad boys. What about bad girls, Lay? I thought you liked it…_both_ ways."

Layla made a very strange face. It was a bizarre combination of wide-eyed confusion, shock and disbelief. She raised her hands and slowly backed away from AJ without saying another word.

AJ laughed again and continued on her way.

"Oi! AJ!"

The Geek Goddess came to a halt- almost a screeching halt- as the World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus suddenly appeared right in front of her. "What the hell was that ou' there?" the Irishman demanded. "And _don' _tell me ya don' know what I'm talkin' about!"

AJ looked at him coolly. She knew that unlike Layla, the Great White was unlikely to be cowed by her unpredictable attitude. "If you're referring to what happened with Kaitlyn in the ring Sheamus, don't bother. It's not your concern."

"Not my concern?" Sheamus drew himself to his full height, towering over her. "It is my concern when one of the few Divas in this company who can actually wrestle gets her leg broken by her alleged best friend!"

"Former best friend." AJ corrected.

"What the hell's goin' on, AJ? First Punk turns his back on the WWE universe and now you turn yer back on Kaitlyn? Did ye both drink the same Kool-Aid or somethin' like that?"

AJ could barely hold back an amused snicker. Really, she thought, how pathetic was that? Comparing her to CM Punk was so yesterday's news- so five comic book issues ago. But what amused her more was the World Champion's aggressive defence of her former best friend. It didn't take someone with the detective skills of Batman to see the looks shared between Sheamus and Kaitlyn. In fact, the two-toned Texan had mentioned to her on more than one occasion- while they were still friends- on how _impressive_ she found the Celtic Warrior and how she wouldn't mind getting to spend more time with him. Sheamus for his part was much the same way; she had heard through the grapevine that was locker-room gossip that his limitless self-confidence seemed to evaporate whenever Kaitlyn's name was brought up and he became as irreversibly tongue-tied as a pubescent teenage boy. That was, unless, someone brought her up in a negative way; John Cena had let it slip to her last week that Antonio del Rio had announced his less-than-noble intentions towards the Texan, and that Sheamus had threatened to 'kick his bleedin' 'ead off' if he so much as laid a finger on her.

Really, how pathetic could you get?

"What I choose to do as General Manager is my business, Sheamus. I'd advise you to stay out of it."

"Like hell." Sheamus looked down at her, not giving an inch. "I don't know what's gone through yer head lately but I sure as hell am not going to stand for it."

"Be careful," she warned. "You forget who you're talking to."

"Oh, I know exactly who I'm talkin' to. I just never realized Vickie Guerrero suddenly went on a health kick."

AJ swore she felt her eye twitch. "Don't compare me to Vickie."

"Why not? 'Cause right now I can't tell the difference. Damn it all, AJ! Kaitlyn was yer friend-"

"And I am your boss." AJ's voice was colder than concrete. "Which means you'll do what I tell you to do. If I tell you to dance, I expect you to dance. If I tell you to back off, I expect you to back off. And right now, I'm telling you to back off and get ready to get out there because as of right now, you're in a handicap match against Kane and Daniel Bryan. Since you're so eager for confrontation, I'm giving you the opportunity to take it out in the ring- where it belongs."

"I've got no problem with that." Sheamus glared at her. "But lemme just tell you right now AJ, this isn't over by a long shot. If Kaitlyn's career is ended because you let all that power go to yer head," he got right up close to her face, "I won't be so nice next time."

AJ stared right back at him unblinkingly. For a moment she didn't say anything. If she were being honest, she'd admit she was a more than a little bit intimidated. But she wasn't about to let that show. Pursuing her lips, she straightened out her suit jacket. "Your match is next. I suggest you get ready." And she strode past him without saying another word.

There was no more skip in her step as she headed towards her office. How dare he, she thought. How dare he compare her to Vickie Guerrero? She was ten times the General Manager that Vickie had been. She was ten times the General Manger that anyone else had been. Better than Vickie, better than John Laurinaitis or Teddy Long. Better than Eric Bischoff or Stephanie McMahon. And at least she treated her position of power with some dignity. She didn't do what Eve had done, slinking around in outfits that she looked she was about to pop out of any second or using her looks to gain power over men. She took her job seriously and _no one_ was going to stop her!

Her hardened look slowly gave way to a small smirk as she entered her office. Sheamus could make all the noise he wanted; it wouldn't change anything. But if he knew what was good for him, he'd concentrate on defending his World Heavyweight Championship and stay out of her personal affairs.

And if he didn't, well… it would be a damn shame for him to get suspended while he was so over with the fans. Sure, he wasn't _technically_ doing anything that would merit that, but things could be _arranged_ so they would lean against him. The company was so stringent about Superstars following their Wellness Policy they wouldn't accept anyone straying from it. Even one of the top guys wouldn't be spared if his next test came up positive for steroids…

Settling at her desk, AJ's smirk transformed into a giggling grin. Sure, she could be a little harsh but everything she did was for the best. Kaitlyn wasn't worthy of being Divas Champion so she had cleared the way for someone who would be successful. There was only one championship for women in the WWE and only the cream of the crop deserved to have a shot at it. She had opened up an opportunity for another young Diva to live her dream.

She opened up a black leather notebook on her desk at opened it to a blank page. At the top of the page, she wrote **_WrestleMania_**. Right underneath, she scribbled out her latest stroke of genius.

_Last Woman Standing Match for the Divas Championship: Eve Torres __vs. AJ Lee._


	2. Chapter 2

Kaitlyn hated hospitals.

Ever since she was young, there had been something about them that just gave her a bad feeling. She hadn't been in them often during her life, thank God, but she was still really creeped out by them. The atmosphere was so dull, so drab that it sucked the life out of all who entered it.

Then again, she thought as she lay in her bed in her single room, the reason she was here had already done a lot of that.

Though her leg was wrapped in a cast, Kaitlyn still felt like walking out of there and heading back on the road. She wasn't used to just lying around doing nothing. Back in Houston, she had endured her fair share of injuries during her fitness model days. She wasn't going to let a little something like a broken leg stop her. Even a broken leg caused by her supposed best friend.

AJ...

Kaitlyn closed her eyes and shook her head. She could easily go on a mental rant of all the questions that came from those two letters, but that would make her head hurt along with her leg. Better to leave that to another time.

A time when she could look the treacherous Geek Goddess in the eye and ask her one simple question- **WHY**?

That was all she wanted to know. Everything else could come later- right after she got her hands on the fiendish little General Manager. Vince McMahon could make things happen in the blink of an eye; he could find a new GM right after AJ was forced to step down due to "sudden injuries" that prevented her from doing her job.

As she lay there listening to the consistent beeping, she heard a small sound right beside her bed, almost like the footstep of someone who was either extremely light-footed or going out of their way to be quiet. Opening her eyes, she saw a nurse she'd never seen before with her back to her.

Kaitlyn's eyes narrowed in confusion. All the doctors and nurses had left ten minutes ago, telling her to get some rest and that they would see how she was feeling tomorrow. "Excuse me, is something wrong?" she asked.

"Not at all," the nurse replied without turning around. "I just need to make sure everything is running smoothly."

"The doctors were just in here," Kaitlyn said, her suspicion growing. "They said everything was fine."

"Oh, come now, Kaitlyn. You of all people ought to know- the one thing that can speed up the healing process," the nurse turned around, "is seeing a friendly face!"

Kaitlyn gasped. AJ stood before her, grinning widely, just as she had before breaking her leg. The nurse outfit on her would have looked like a bad naughty Halloween costume she could've ribbed her about just a couple of months ago. Now Kaitlyn had a disturbing reminder of the hospital scene in _The Dark Knight_, except that instead of the Joker being before her, it was a small, brunette version of Harley Quinn sans face paint.

Kaitlyn reached frantically for the panic button, only to have AJ grab hold of her wrist. "Uh uh!" the Raw GM said, her face quickly turning from happy to serious. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. We wouldn't want a nasty _accident_ to happen, would we?"

"What are you doing here?" the two-toned Diva demanded.

AJ looked down at her. "I'd show a little bit more respect if I were you. You're talking to the General Manager of RAW- your boss."

"Like I care." Kaitlyn sat up, anger now displayed on her face.

"Well, you should because I came here to surprise you! As your best friend in the whole wide wonderful-"

"_Bullshit_," Kaitlyn cut her her off aggressively.

AJ looked hurt. "Well, if that's the way you're going to be..."

She reached up and squeezed the IV bag leading into the Texan's arm. Kaitlyn cried out as a sharp stab of pain shot through the limb.

"Let me be clear," AJ said in a frighteningly calm voice. "We are going to sit here and talk like two rational women who are Best Friends Forever. If you have a problem with that, I'm more than happy to hurt you in as many ways I can. Got it?"

Unable to speak from the pain, Kaitlyn quickly nodded her head.

"Good." AJ released the bag and sat down next to the bed. "So Kaitlyn, how have you been?" She now spoke warmly, smiling kindly, as though the two were still the best of friends. "I haven't seen you since... hmm, let me see..." She made a great show of contemplation. "Oh yeah! You had your _unfortunate_ accident in the ring last week."

"Accident?" Kaitlyn repeated incredulously.

"Yeah. It was just too bad you had to slip and fall right after that skank Eve had worked on your leg so well. You could have asked for a rematch tomorrow. Instead, because of your clumsiness, you're in here, out of action."

"I'm out of action because _you_ shattered my leg!"

AJ snorted. "Hardly. You shattered it yourself."

Kaitlyn stared at her. Was the woman really so delusional that she'd actually believe that? "Twenty thousand people watching in the arena, millions of people watching _live_ at home, a hundred videos on YouTube- and you're saying I did this to myself?" she said incredulously.

"You did it to yourself the moment you became the Hybrid Diva. When you chose to end our friendship the second I started making a name for myself on my own."

"I never ended our friendship! I was always there for you!"

"Sure. That's why you always interfered in my personal life."

"Personal life? You mean Daniel Bryan? AJ, I was looking out for you! Bryan was just using you to enhance his career. He didn't love you; I don't know if he ever did. I was trying to help you!"

"Save it." AJ held up a hand. "I know what you were trying to do. It ate you up, didn't it? Winning NXT and then being placed on the back burner and ignored while I- a woman people said was too fragile and delicate to get anywhere _near_ the ring- became the most talked about Diva in _years_. Do you know how much of a joke people view the Divas division as these days? I'm the best thing that's happened to it in a decade! I transformed what it means to be a Diva. I associated with the man who gave the WWE a much-needed kick in the ass. I became the General Manager of WWE's flagship show. All that in the space of the year. And what have you done? Ab. Solutely. _Nothing_."

Kaitlyn stared at AJ, at the calculating face of her former best friend, trying to find some hint of the warm, fun-loving woman she used to know. She found none.

"And don't think for one second I don't know who you really are," the GM went on. "Don't think I didn't notice the way you looked at me after that loss to the Divas of Doom. I could see in your eyes you wanted to hit me. You were so frustrated at your own pathetic career you were looking for your scapegoat. Well, guess what? The goat just butted you down first."

"And last week?"

"What about it? That was just me having a little fun!"

"And turning your back on everything and everyone, just like CM Punk."

"I prefer to think of it as doing everyone a service. Giving the fans something new to tweet about, giving the boys in the back something to talk about... giving you something to remember the next time you decide to betray a friend."

"Is this all you came here to do?" Kaitlyn demanded. "Berate me with some twisted, false rant that you cooked up in your own mind?"

AJ smiled again- it was not a nice smile. "Of course not! I wanted to let you in on my big plan for the new year!" She produced a big black notebook and opened it up to a certain page. "I don't really want to spoil the surprise, but... what the hell- I'll spill the beans about my revolutionary idea for WrestleMania!"

"Last Woman Standing Match for the Diva's Championship?" Kaitlyn read. "You're putting yourself in the match?"

"Why not? The fans deserve a champion they can be proud of. Someone who can give them more than two minute matches."

"So, you're using your position to book yourself at the top," Kaitlyn growled. "Sorry AJ, but you're not a revolutionary. There was another woman who did the same thing. I think her name was Stephanie McMahon. You're behind the times about twelve years."

"Don't tell me about times. The only time that matters is mine. Come WrestleMania, everyone will know that it's the time of the Crazy Chick."

"You mean the Crazy _Bitch._" Kaitlyn growled, then let out a cry of pain as AJ squeezed down on the IV bag again.

"Well, I'll tell you what," the Geek Goddess snarled. "This 'crazy bitch' is about a hair away from ripping this IV right out of your arm and stabbing it into your neck."

Kaitlyn stared up at AJ. "Go ahead," she said through clenched teeth, refusing to be intimidated despite the pain. "Then the world will see how much of crazy chick you are in jail."

The Houston-native expected her former friend to snap and braced herself, but surprisingly AJ released her grip on the bag and smiled. "You know, it's funny you should mention that," she said, leaning on the bed railings with her chin propped on her forearms.

"What?" Kaitlyn asked suspiciously, breathing deeply.

"Mentioning jail when I'm not the one who got hauled away in handcuffs over a speeding ticket I forgot to pay- on _my _show."

"It was a misunderstanding. I got it cleared up."

AJ laughed. "Oh, yes of course. The beautiful Kaitlyn- beauty and power in one delicious package- dragged out the arena in handcuffs and thrown in a cold dark cell all because of one tiny _misunderstanding_. Well, if I were you I'd be careful." She looked the two-toned Diva straight in the eye. "The Internet is a place where information travels fast. It would be a shame if you got arrested again for something more... serious."

"Huh?" Kaitlyn looked genuinely confused. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do. And I doubt you'd be able to get out the same day for this one. Selling drugs in the locker room is the kind of thing that gets you put away for a long time." AJ smiled wickedly. "Being in charge means you have connections to make things look a certain way."

Kaitlyn stared at her; she didn't know whether to feel shocked or disgusted. "You _are_ insane," she murmured.

"No- just resourceful. It's why I'm really successful and you're not," AJ said with false sweetness.

"At least I'm working hard to get where I want."

"Oh, sure you are. You're working your tight little butt off every day, trying to become the next Trish Stratus." AJ clucked her tongue and shook her head. "Don't get your hopes up, girl. You're like the 500th Diva to try to recreate that magic. Nothing new at all."

"What do you _want_ from me, AJ?" Kaitlyn demanded.

AJ smiled, now knowing she held all the power. "Right now, nothing for the simple reason that there is nothing you can give me. I know right now you're focusing on getting better and getting that leg all healed up so you can go back to squatting 300lbs or whatever your record is. So I'll leave you alone. But I'll tell you right now," she got up in Kaitlyn's face, suddenly all serious, "if you interfere in my plans or business in _any_ way, I won't just come after you. I'll come after the ones you love most."

She smiled cruelly. "Starting, perhaps, with a certain... Irishman?"

The look in Kaitlyn's eyes affirmed what the Crazy Chick had suspected about her former friend's feelings towards the World Heavyweight Champion. "What are you talking about?" The Texan's voice wasn't nearly as neutral as she tried to make it.

"Please Katie, you think I was born yesterday? I'm in charge of RAW. You think I don't know what goes down in the locker room? You think I don't remember you telling me about how you dreamed about Sheamus every night? Then again I can understand why- he's a big, muscular, handsome guy. I wonder if his muscle size extends down to his-"

"You leave Sheamus alone, AJ." Kaitlyn now looked furious as she sat up, her face painted with anger. "You hear me? You don't go anywhere near him!"

AJ grabbed hold on the Hybrid Diva's shoulders and forced them back down to the bed. "I'll do whatever I damn well want," she growled. "But let me tell you right now; you focus on getting better and stay the hell out of my way. I'm the number one Diva in the WWE. And you Kaitlyn- you are _nothing_. You've always been nothing. You're a little girl in a woman's world."

"The pot calling the kettle black," Kaitlyn responded defiantly.

"I'm going to wrestle for the Diva's title at WrestleMania," AJ went on as though the Texan hadn't spoken. "I'm going to _eviscerate_ that skank Eve and take my rightful place at the top of the Divas division. There's _no one_ that can stop me from doing it, especially not you. You go about your rehab and let the big girls run the show. And as far as Sheamus goes, I hope for his sake you stay out of my affairs because if you don't, I'll hurt him too."

Under normal circumstances, the mere thought of AJ- cute, tiny 100lb AJ- threatening to hurt a man the size of Sheamus would have given Kaitlyn a good chuckle. Not anymore. The mere look of the Geek Goddess and the calm way she spoke scared the hell out of the two-toned Diva and made her believe it.

Still, she refused to throw in the towel just yet. "I _am_ going to come back," she said. "Sooner or later AJ, I'll be back as an active competitor. And when I am, I'm not coming for the Diva's title. I'm coming straight for you."

AJ smirked. "I look forward to it."

"And when I do, I'm going to put my foot so far up your-"

"Oh my, my! Look at that!" AJ exclaiming, looking at a non-existent watch. "Visiting hours are over. Sorry Katie, but I'm running late for a meeting and I can't stay. It's been so nice to see you again. Now," she smiled. "you be a good girl and get some rest."

As Kaitlyn made a move towards AJ, she suddenly felt a pin prick in her arm and saw her former friend remove a syringe from her arm. "What did you just do to me?" she demanded.

"Just gave you a little something to help you sleep," AJ responded, capping the needle. "Don't worry, nothing that's going to harm you. Just something that'll make sure I'm long gone before you call anyone."

"You little-" Kaitlyn made a move to grab AJ but found she couldn't move her arm fast enough; it suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. She made a weak grab at the RAW GM and missed by a foot.

AJ grinned as she watched the sedative take effect. Kaitlyn fought to stay awake, her eyes flickering until she finally lost the struggle and closed them. AJ stepped over and held her hand under Kaitlyn's nose to make sure everything had gone off fine. The steady beat on the heart monitor and the Texan's steady breathing confirmed that her job was done.

Another smile crossed AJ's face. She leaned over and planted her lips on Kaitlyn's forehead. "See you soon, Chickbuster," she murmured as she got up and slipped out of the room.

In the hallway next to the front entrance, she stripped off her nurse's uniform to reveal her business attire, discreetly disposed of the hospital-wear in a nearby clothes bin and walked out the door, being sure to give a nice smile and friendly wave to the receptionist as she walked out.

Was she a little harsh with her methods? Sure, but then again she was the GM of the WWE's flag show. She expected nothing but the best from her performers. And if they couldn't perform up to the standards, well... there were plenty of others fighting to get their chance.

She smiled at the limo driver as she got in the back and began to contemplate what she was going to do to Eve at WrestleMania.

_First I'm going to break the little skank's ankle like she tried to do to Kaitlyn, then give a great big smile while she screams and begs for mercy. And after that I'm going to break her 'perfect' face- better start with her nose and let her bleed all over the ring. Hmmm... I wonder how good I would look wearing her blood on my body? It would be like war paint! A triumphant warrior successful in battle! _

"Something to drink, Miss Lee?" the driver was saying.

"Why, thank you," she said cheerfully. "A nice cold soda would be lovely."

**A/N: Okay, this is it! This was supposed to be a one-shot that turned into a two-shot! Seriously! I like AJ, Kaitlyn and Eve as much as the next red-blooded guy, but for this fic, this is it! This is the end! **

**I think... ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

AJ gave a repressed moan of pleasure. She lay back on the mattress and pressed her head deep into the pillow, inhaling the scent of recently-laundered material. The soft silk of the bed sheets encompassed her naked skin.

Her muscles ached for the second time that night. The first time it happened, it was of stress, of pain. The second time, it was of pleasure- so deep she couldn't find words to describe it.

She closed her eyes and turned onto her side, her hand reaching out right where she wanted it to, where she knew where it would be. She felt the firmness of her beloved, the hardness of the centre, the tease of the curves.

A content sigh passed through her lips. "God, I love you," she murmured.

She felt movement on the spot next to her, followed by an all-too familiar voice. "You know, you're not supposed to say that until after the _third_ round."

She opened her eyes. "What makes you think I was talking to you?"

Her companion raised his eyebrow. "Who else would you be talking to?"

AJ gave a smile and lifted up what was separating her from him. "I think I like it better. It has a firmer core."

CM Punk snorted. "Now you're just being ridiculous."

AJ smirked. "Doubt it."

She lay on her back and draped the Diva's championship over her naked breasts.

"You'd better be careful," Punk remarked. "You keep that thing there too long, it's gonna knock your size back down to AA."

"You're just jealous because you're not the one on them."

"Pretty sure I made up for that earlier."

"And if you behave, you just might be on them again."

"When was the last time you saw me behave?"

"Hmm, good point." Grinning, AJ moved the title belt to the side and rolled over to face Punk. Her lover. Her _real_ lover. "You never did like playing by the rules."

"Nope." Punk shook his head.

AJ chuckled. "Better be careful Dean Ambrose doesn't sue you for gimmick infringement."

"He wants to fight, he knows where to find me."

"And I'm sure he'd regret it. But he's not here right now. I am."

"You and your mistress."

"What, the Diva's championship?" She waved a hand. "Now who's being ridiculous?"

"You seem pretty attached to it."

"Of course. I worked my ass off to win it. That doesn't mean I plan on having sex with it."

"Oh God!" Punk slapped a hand over his eyes. "I just got mental pictures!"

AJ gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Ass."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yours or mine?"

"Well, I was gonna say mine, but yours isn't half bad either."

AJ rose up and climbed over on top of him. Punk raised an eyebrow. He opened his mouth to say something when he felt her knee plant itself firmly between his legs. "This is a very dangerous place to be," he remarked.

"You got that right," she replied smoothly.

"You mind moving it?"

"Oh, I don't know." She pressed herself up against him even more, feeling the heat radiating off him. Feeling his body react to her touch. "I kinda like it where it is."

"Thought beating Kaitlyn tonight would have taken the most sadistic parts out of you."

"Who said anything about being sadistic? That was foreplay to me."

A look alien to Punk crossed his face. "Beating your former best friend into a bloody pulp was foreplay to you?"

AJ rolled her eyes and slid off him to her own side of the bed. "Please. You make it sound like I'm some kind of psycho." She stopped and stared right at him. "You don't think that... _do you_?"

The Straight-Edge Superstar merely gave a shrug. "Not my place to judge what you do to your 'friends'."

"It wasn't my fault!" AJ said, suddenly agitated. "It was supposed to be Eve! It was supposed to be her face I smashed beyond repair! It was supposed to be her I made squeal like the bitch she is! Then she had to go and quit after Kaitlyn beat her! What was I supposed to do? Let them book another worthless eight Diva tag match that lasts two minutes?"

Punk lay silent, absorbing the rant. He'd never admit to being a saint- he was pretty sure if there was a God, his straight-edge lifestyle wouldn't make up for all the sins he'd committed in his life- but compared to the girl lying beside him, well, he was as close to getting a harp as he'd ever be.

"You tell me, what was I supposed to do?" AJ ranted on, her face becoming more distorted and devilish by the moment. "Just let that Chyna wanna-be show me up? You remember how she came after me?"

Punk did indeed remember. He recalled all too well that moment on _Raw_ watching backstage as AJ celebrated in the ring following a mixed tag team match where she and Dolph Ziggler had beaten Natalya and the Great Khali. Dolph had left the ring for one moment to taunt Khali as the giant stumbled back to the dressing room; at that moment, the two-toned Texan had emerged from the crowd, entered the ring and tackled the Geek Goddess, much to the delight of the fans. A month of pent-up frustration had taken hold in the Houstonian, who was now hell-bent on revenge on AJ for breaking her leg, and it was only through the combined efforts of Ziggler and Big E Langston that they were able to pull the tiny Diva out of the ring.

Punk remembered being backstage, wanting to run out and help AJ. But of course, that was out of the question; AJ was supposed to be Dolph's girl, and any interference from the self-proclaimed Best in the World would have blown the lid off their affair. So he had been forced to wait.

And wait. And wait.

"Well, I showed her." AJ's face now showed a truly devilish grin. She stared off into the distance, as if recalling the moment from the last few hours ago. "I really showed the bitch just what happens when you try to mess with me. I showed her, didn't I?"

"Oh yeah, you did." Punk wasn't just paying lip service. He had watched her match against Kaitlyn for Diva's championship earlier that night, the first time he had watched a women's WrestleMania match- or _any_ women's match- with great interest. The fans had seemed emotionally invested in the match too- and why shouldn't they? It was the first decent Diva's match at WrestleMania in what? Seven years? Damn, that made Trish Stratus and Mickie James seem old.

AJ had won the match, of course. But that really didn't matter. She could have won a hundred times during their unprecedented near-twenty minute match. She was the Diva's champion- and she also may very well have ended Kaitlyn's career.

She had attacked the Houstonian's leg unsurprisingly, trying to chop Kaitlyn down to her size. Kaitlyn seemed to have expected it, however, and used her strong physique to toss AJ from one end of the ring to another. The Last Woman Standing clause meant they could do pretty much anything to each other and bring anything to the table.

And they _had_ brought a table, along with chairs, kendo sticks, even the ring-bell. Things happened in that match that couldn't have happened even in a fantasy match in _WWE '13_. And the fans- at least those who were over the age of ten- loved it. They watched as Kaitlyn delivered a huge superplex off the top rope, sending AJ crashing through a table in the ring. The challenger just barely managed to make it to her feet, only to be clocked in the stomach and then the back with the ring-bell. The two used so many outside objects on each other it was a miracle either of them could stand at all.

Unfortunately for Kaitlyn fans, their hope of the Texan gaining revenge was eventually cut short near the eighteen minute mark. Kaitlyn threw AJ out to the floor, and referee Mike Chioda sternly told her to keep it in the ring. Neither of them noticed AJ reach under the ring curtain and pull out a lead pipe. As Kaitlyn reached through the ropes to grab her opponent, AJ wheeled and clocked the champion right in the face. Kaitlyn fell backwards like a sack of potatoes and rolled around in the ring, clutching her head in pain. AJ, pipe in hand, slipped back in the ring and Chioda began the count.

AJ could have easily won right there. But she didn't want that.

Instead, she knelt down beside the fallen Houstonian, wrapped the pipe around her neck and yanked back as hard as she could.

"Do you have _any_ idea how _good_ it felt to wrap it around her soft throat and choke the life out of her?" AJ murmured. Punk looked over and saw, with a measure of jealousy, that she was in the midst of a closed-eyed near orgasm all on her own. "How much _pleasure_ I got from it?"

And oh, what pleasure that had been. She remembered being in the ring, listening to the crowd gasp as she wrapped the metal bar around her former best friend's neck and pulled back with all the strength she had. Kaitlyn had gasped as well and her hands grabbed the pipe in an attempt to prevent the life from being choked out of her. But AJ had her right where she wanted her, and the only way the pipe was coming off Kaitlyn's neck was if AJ allowed it.

And she wouldn't allow it. Not until she had that damn belt.

She didn't know how long she held her ex-friend in that hold, but she did remember murmuring in her ear. Not a taunt- a verse from a song.

_Push me away, make me fall  
Just to see, another side of me.  
Push me away, you can see  
What I see, the other side of me._

Ah yes, the chorus of the theme song of one of her favourite pay-per-views, _Vengeance 2002_. She remembered all too well watching the main event on a rabbit-eared television not too far from here in her home in Union City. The Undertaker defended his Undisputed Championship against Kurt Angle and The Rock; unlike tonight, the Great One had prevailed. It had been a great match, but what she really dug were the hard tunes of the theme song, _Downfall_ by Trust Company. It fit with her current lifestyle after all, so why not introduce Kaitlyn to it?

Right up close and personal of course.

Beneath her, the two-toned champion's grip was loosening. The blood flow to Kaitlyn's brain was being cut off, causing the edges of her vision to flicker and darken. Even though AJ was a good 20 pounds lighter than her, the positioning of the challenger made her much stronger.

As for what AJ was thinking now, well… she couldn't explain it, but for some reason she heard entrance music. Randy Orton's entrance music. And they didn't come from the speakers, but from within her own mind.

_I have voices in my head,  
They counsel me, they understand…_

Her grip on the pipe tightened even further. Kaitlyn's air supply was completely cut off now. AJ could see the Diva's championship now. Feel it. _Taste_ it…

_They counsel me, they understand.  
They counsel me, they understand.  
They_…

"…want me to win!" AJ screamed right into Kaitlyn's ear. "You hear that, Katie? They're cheering for me! _ME!_ NOT YOU!"

She wasn't expecting a response, and she didn't get one.

_They tell me things that I will do,  
They show me things I'll do to you…_

She had held on as Kaitlyn's legs kicked up and down in a feeble attempt to buck her off. After a while, everything became unfocused for her. The match, the crowd, everything became one giant blur. She saw nothing, heard nothing. She didn't feel Kaitlyn's body go limp under her.

_They talk to me._

What she did feel was Mike Chioda grab her shoulders and try to pull her off. "AJ! AJ, stop! You're gonna kill her!"

Those words got her attention. She let the pipe fall from her hands and looked down as her former best friend collapsed on the mat. Kaitlyn was unconscious, a dark bruise already forming on her throat. Her back moving up and down was the only indication she was still alive. A thin river of blood trickled down the corner of her mouth.

AJ stood up and backed into a corner as Chioda began the count.

"One! Two! Three! Four!"

The crowd started chanting along with him. AJ looked out at the New York/New Jersey crowd and a wave of pride swept over her. These were _her_ fans. _Hers_. They were cheering the hometown girl from Union City. They had just witnessed history and they were about to witness more.

"Five! Six! Seven!"

AJ could feel her heart pounding in her chest. _Just three more._

"Eight! Nine! Ten!"

_DING, DING, DING!_

_Let's light it up!  
Light it up, light it up, light it tonight!  
Let's light it up!_

AJ could hardly hear her music over the roar of the crowd. She literally felt her eyes well up as Chioda handed her what she had been seeking for months.

"The winner of this match, and _**NEW**_ WWE Diva's Champion, AJ Lee!"

The crowd roared its approval as AJ raised her prize in victory. As he raised her hand, Chioda warned her to just celebrate her victory and leave Kaitlyn alone; the now ex-champion was being attended to WWE medical personnel. She couldn't tell over the roar of the crowd, but she was sure she heard the words 'crushed larynx' and 'career over' being used.

AJ could care less. She was the Diva's champion.

Dolph and Big E soon joined her in the ring. Dolph immediately swept her up in his arms and crushed her mouth against his. She knew Punk would be watching and would see it, but that didn't matter. She would play her part now, and give her true love a much better treat later.

"So what did you tell old Ziggy?" Punk asked. He was a little surprised when AJ was able to slip away from her 'boyfriend' so easily.

"To go out and celebrate with Biggy," she replied simply, twirling a strand of her hair as she looked up the ceiling. "I'd wager a Collector's Edition of _Mass Effect 3_ he ends up trashed and in bed with those two twin bimbos before dawn."

"And you don't care?"

"Why should I? I'm just playing a part on TV. It's not like I really care about him or anything."

"Even with all the_ AJ + Dolph 4ever _stuff you wrote in your diary?"

"What can I say? I'm a method actor."

"Damn. Hate to be him when he finds out."

"Yeah. It'll break his heart." She shrugged. "Big deal." She dismissed the man's feelings as casually as she dismissed an ant she had just crushed on the sidewalk.

"When are you going to tell him?" Punk asked.

"Oh, I won't. _You_ are."

Punk stared. "_Me_?"

"Why not?"

"I'm not the 'Dear Ziggy' kind of guy."

AJ giggled. "Really? I think you'd look cute doing it."

"I'd rather drink a full case of Corona!"

"Come on, you don't even have to sign your name to it!"

"So how would I sign it? 'The guy who stole your crazy chick'?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'GTS'."

Punk raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"Sure." AJ smirked. "Much more _in your face_."

Punk's lips twisted into a small smile. They widened when she climbed on top of him again. "I like the way you think."

"I'm glad. I was worried I'd have to hurt you to make you do it. You can be real hard-headed sometimes. If two Tombstones couldn't get through, I wasn't sure anything could."

The smile disappeared from the former WWE Champion's face at the mention of the big 'T' word. Unlike her, his match hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped; The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak was alive and well. Punk was the 1 he said he'd be, alright- in 21 and 0. It got inside his head a lot more than showed. Hoping to change the topic, he said, "You didn't answer my question: when are you going to tell Ziggler?"

"Oh, I don't know. A month. Maybe two. Maybe three."

"Why so long?"

AJ smiled. "Because," she said, tracing her hand down his chest, "I want you to be fully ready for it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"It means you're not 100%. Not physically. Not mentally. Tonight took a lot out of you. You still have The Undertaker on your mind. When we do this, the only person I want you focused on is Dolph."

"What about that black King Kong Bundy he keeps around?"

AJ giggled at his blatant disregard for political correctness. "Don't worry. I'll take care of him."

"That doesn't reassure me."

"Relax. We'll have this all under control." She leaned over him, her hair encircling the pillow around his head. "Nothing will be able to stop us. It's our destiny. Until then, relax. Take a break for a little bit. You've earned it. You don't have to be gone too long- just enough so that everyone will be caught off guard when you come back. And when you do…"

She positioned herself over him. Punk looked up as she paused. "When I do what?"

She smiled. "_We're going to set the whole fucking WWE on fire_."

As she said that, the two bodies joined once again.

The fire had been set.

And the seeds were planted for a new brand of chaos that would take the WWE by storm.

**A/N: Fin!**

**This is the type of match I wish had taken place at WrestleMania. It could have been great. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. But I at least get to hear what you think here. :)**


End file.
